• What is the enrollment process?Take a private tour of the facility. Meet with administration. Fill out the registration packet and medical forms. Submit your registration fee.

• Is the registration fee included in the first month payment?The registration fee is not included in the first month payment.

• What are the center’s hours?We are open 7AM – 7PM, Monday – Friday.

• Does the center offer part-time care?Yes. We are very flexible with our hours – we work with parents to accommodate your schedule whenever possible. We offer care two, three, or five days a week. For a two or three day schedule, we offer eight and a half hour care minimum. For a five day schedule, we offer six hour care minimum.

• What is the youngest/oldest child you can accept?We can care for infants as young as 6 weeks and children up to 5 years.

• Can I make up days that my child has missed?We allow parents to make up days if we have availability.

• What happens if a child is away for an extended period of time (out sick, vacation, family emergency, etc.)? Parents are typically responsible to pay their monthly fee. However, if they know ahead of time about aplanned absence, they may speak to administration to see if they can make other arrangements.

• Is Two By Two Childcare Academy open on weekends?No, the center is closed on weekends.

• How many children can the center accommodate?At full capacity, we can enrich the lives of 126 full time children.

• Do you allow for sibling discounts?Yes! We offera 20% discount on the older sibling’s tuition.

• What happens if my child’s regular escorts are unavailable to pick them up?Parents should call or email the center with the name of the person they are giving permission to pick up their child. Furthermore, the escort should be 16 or olderand must have proper identification.

• What happens if my child is picked up late?Parents must notify us as soon as they know they will be late. Parents are given a 15 minute grace period, but if their time exceeds, parents would have to pay for the extra time that their child is in our care.

• What happens if I need to end care with Two By Two Childcare Academy because of my employment or moving status?The parents need to give us 60 day written notice, prior to leaving, so we can make proper arrangements.

• What form of payments do you accept?Parents can pay with cash, debit/credit, check, money order or through the Smartcare System.

• Does Two by Two Childcare Academy offer any type of financial assistance?At this time, we do not offer financial assistance.

• Is the facility usually inspected and by whom?We are routinely inspected by the New York City Department of Health/Mental Hygiene, NYC Fire Department and NYC Department of Building.

Neighborhood Information

• What are the nearest train and bus stops?The nearest trains are the G, J, M, and L trains. At the bus depot on Marcy/Broadway, they have the B44, B46, B57, B59, B60, Q24, and Q54 buses.

• How is parking in the neighborhood?We have alternate parking on our streets.

• Do all of the children reside in Williamsburg?No, not at all! Many of our families live in Bushwick, Greenpoint, Parkslope, Crown Heights, and other areas.

Teachers and Staff

• What type of credentials do the teachers have?All of our teachers are qualified to work with all age groups at our center. Some hold an AA, BA, MS/MA, or a CDA in Early Childhood or Elementary Education.

• Are the teachers certified in First Aid/CPR, infectious diseases, SIDS/SBS and Early Childhood Ed.?Yes. All of our staff are fully trained in these areas and take courses regularly to ensure that they are up-to-date on the latest practices.

• Are teachers/staff members required to have an updated medical?Yes! All teachers/staff are required to have a physical every year.

• What other languages do the teachers speak?Our teachers speak English, Spanish, and French.

• Will my child have the same teachers every day?Yes! The only exception is when a teacher is absent (illness, personal matter, vacation, etc.).In this instance, another teacher would substitute inthatparticular classroom.

• What is the child/teacher ratio in each class?Infants ratio is 3:1 or 4:1, Toddlers 5:1, Two year olds 6:1, Three’s 6:1, and Four’s 10:1.

Safety Concerns

• Is Two By Two Childcare Academy a nut free zone?Yes! Nothing that contains nuts is allowed in our facility.

• How often does Two By Two Childcare Academy practice fire drills?We practice fire drills once a month.

• What happens if there is an emergency?If a child gets hurt, we notify the parents immediately. If a child requires immediate medical attention, we call 911 first and then notify the parents.

• How are parents contacted if there is an emergency?We notify parents by phone in the case of an emergency.

• How often do you sanitize toys, sleeping mats, and other materials in the classroom?All such objects are cleaned daily and sanitized weekly.

• What is your evacuation procedure in case of a fire, sheltering in, fire drill, etc.?Children leave the building through the infant, toddler, and preschool exits and are taken away from the building. If they need shelter, they are taken to the Roberto Clemente Public School or across the street to the Computer Building.

• Do you have surveillance cameras throughout the day care? Can parents view their children? Yes, we have surveillance cameras in all of the classrooms and other parts of the building. However, for the safety of all students, we do not allow parents to view their children live. Teachers will often send pictures through the Smartcare App.

• How do staff communicate with parents?Teachers send a daily journal describing the happenings and activities of each day. Teachers also call or text parents when necessary. Parents can also speak to the teachers during drop-off and pick-up.

• Do the children and teachers wash their hands before entering the classroom?Yes! They also wash their hands after every meal, using the restroom, and when returning from indoor/outdoor play.

• What are your protocols when the children are taken on neighborhood walks and trips?Teachers count and take attendance of every child before leaving the day care. They also have to log in/out how many children and adults are leaving and coming back from a trip. While outdoors, children who cannot walk are usually seated in the six-seater buggy. For those who can walk, Velcro straps are used to keep them from walking away from the teachers.

• What are your protocols when a child is lost on a trip?In the event a child is lost, it is mandatory that the Child Abuse Hotline is called immediately to report the incident. An incident report is prepared and forwarded to the Resource Area Director for child care centers.

Child Illness

• Are all of the children vaccinated?Yes! All children are required to have an updated physical before entering the day care and while attending the day care.

• How often are the medicals due?This depends on the child’s age and when their immunization is due.

• What is the protocol if my child has a fever or is ill at school?If a child has a 100 degree temperature or above, the parents are called right away.

• How do staff go about isolating a child who is ill?The child is secluded and supervised in a quiet area in the classroom until the parent arrives.

• What happens if my child is out sick?We usually ask the parents to inform us. If the child is out for three days and has seen a doctor, the Department of Health requires that the parents bring in a doctor’s note. The note should inform us if the child can return to school.

Feeding

• Do you serve breakfast and lunch, or do I need to give my child breakfast and pack lunch for my child?We serve a morning breakfast and an afternoon snack. Parents must provide the children with lunch. If they stay at the day care after 5pm, they need to bring in an extra snack from home as well.

• What type of milk do you give the children?The children drink 2% non-fat milk.

• Can we bring our own milk and snacks?Yes, as long it doesn’t contain nuts.

• Can we celebrate our child’s birthday? What can we bring?Yes! We suggest that the parents inform the teachers ahead of time and bring nutritious treats and drinks (that do not contain nuts).

Diapering

• How often are diapers changed?The teachers change the children’s diapers every two hours or when necessary.

• Is it okay if my child has cloth diapers?Yes, just bring in proper bags to store them when damp.

• Does my child have to be potty trained?No! We work with the parents to help potty train when necessary.

Children and Curriculum

• Are parents allowed to visit their child’s classroom?Of course! We have an open door policy and invite all parents to join us whenever they can. We view our parents as an additional resource that help us continuously improve.

• Do the children go outdoors? How often?Children are allowed to go outdoors 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. Teachers usually take the children on short walks and to nearby parks.

• Do the children go on trips? What kinds of trips and how often?Yes! The children go on educational trips at least 3 times a year (the farm, children museums, aquariums, etc.). During the summer, more activities and trips are also scheduled.

• Can parents go on trips?Yes! If they would like to go, they would have to let us know in advanceso we can make the proper arrangements.

• What type of transportation do children take when they go on trips?We use a bus to transport our children when we go on trips.

• How does the staff discipline children?Constructive methods are to be employed when handling children and maintaining group control without recourse to corporal punishment or humiliating and frightening experiences. For example: If a child needs to be behaviorally managed, staff should: Remove the child from the group, but remain within proximity of the other children. Place the child at the table with a quite game or book. “Time out” is defined as one minute per year of age, by law.

• What curriculum does Two By Two Childcare Academy use?We use the Creative Curriculum combined withthe Reggio Emilia Approach. Learn more about our methodology here.

• What kind of extracurricular activities do the children have?We have children involved in soccer, dance, movement, yoga, and other educational activities (health and healthy habits, sports,etc.). We are always looking for new professionals to come in and teach our children in fun and educational ways.

• What sorts of activities happen in the classroom?All of the teachers have lessons and activities planned based on the age group of the children that they are teaching. The activities include: Literacy, Mathematics, Social Studies, The Arts, and Technology. These areas offer multiple opportunities for children to explore, discover, and learn at their own pace.

• Can my child bring toys from home?It depends on the toy. Sometimes we allow children to bring their favorite toys for comfort. Please check with us before bringing in a toy from home.

• Are all holidays celebrated?Yes! We also respect if parents do not want their child involved in any holidays.

• Can teachers email the parents pictures of their child?Yes!The teachers will provide pictures, at their own discretion, on the Smartcare App.

• If my child is receiving any type of Special Services, can the therapists go to the school?Yes! We would need copies of their credentials for our records.

• Do you provide any type of Special Services for a child who needs Speech, Physical, and Occupational therapy?Yes! The Department of Health provides free services for those children who require the service.

• Can I drop in anytime to check on my child?Of course! We have an open door policy and invite all parents to join us whenever they can. We view our parents as an additional resource that help us continuously improve.

Parent Involvement

• Does Two By Two have parent/teacher conferences? How often?Yes - twice a year and at the parents request.

• Does Two By Two have a PTA Committee?Yes! We also have an online discussion group for the parents of Two By Two Childcare Academy to join. Parents can privately discuss any concerns or ideas they would like to bring to administration.

• Can parents volunteer?All parents are welcome to volunteer in any way that they can. Oftentimes, parents will come read to their child’s class or participate in a classroom activity.